Lonza is the world's leading producer of Niacin/Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and operates three Niacin/Niacinamide plants in Europe and Asia. Vitamin B3 is an essential part of human and animal nutrition.
Niacin and niacinamide were found to be the antipellagra vitamin in 1937, about 200 years after the symptons of pellagra were first described. Niacin and niacinamide have been also referred to as vitamin PP. These vitamins are essential precursors for the synthesis of the coenzymes NAD and NADP; which are involved in numerous metabolic reactions.
It has been generally acknowledged that niacin and niacinamide must be supplemented in the diet to ensure the required daily intake.
Content in foodstuffs
Niacin and niacinamide are naturally present in various foods.
The following table presents the values for niacin/niacinamide content of foods. The natural presence of niacin/niacinamide does not mean, however, that these quantities are available to the human body or even sufficient to cover daily requirements. Some foodstuffs contain chemically bound niacin with low bioavailability. In cereal grains, as much as 70 to 100 % of the niacin are biologically unavailable. Niacin in maize is fully unavailable. When considering cereal/maize-based diets, it is necessary to make allowance for poor bioavailability
Total niacin/niacinamide content (per 100 g edible food)